One of the dominant tribes on the Great Plains, the Cheyenne people have a rich and storied history. As one of the largest and most influential tribes on the continent, they played a major role in shaping the American story, and they are still a large tribe today.
To fully understand the Cheyenne culture and history, we must go back to the 17th and 18th centuries where the Cheyenne first interacted with white settlers. The first recorded contact with the Cheyenne was documented by French settlers at Fort Crevecoeur, near present-day Peoria, Illinois.
There are multiple theories about where the term “Cheyenne” came from, but the tribe referred to themselves as Tsitsistas, which means “the people.” Their language originated from the Algonquin language group, spoken by more than 30 tribes across northern North America.
The Cheyenne people were initially located in the Great Lakes region in parts of Minnesota and Illinois. As the westward expansion of white settlers pushed them further and further westward, the Cheyenne were forced to relocate to North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska.
Like most Native American tribes, the Cheyenne relied on the natural resources around them. They were very strong hunters and ate meat from buffalo, elk, deer, bear, wild turkey, and small game like rabbit and squirrel.
In addition to hunting, the Cheyenne were also avid gatherers who collected wild roots and vegetables, such as potatoes, herbs, spinach, turnips, and berries. When food was scarce, the tribe also relied on pemmican, which is dried buffalo meat that sometimes contains nuts and berries.
The Cheyenne were and continue to be very spiritual people. They believe that the earth, the skies, the animals, and all of nature–even themselves–all have deeply interconnected spirits. They also believe in two principal deities: The Wise One Above, a supreme being they call “Maheo,” and a god who lives beneath the ground.
Life in the wilderness was hard. Tribes were constantly clashing, creating rivalries, and dealing with the expanding settlements pushing further and further west. As a result, tribes like the Cheyenne had a strong warrior culture—not as war-makers, but as protectors, providers, and leaders.
The Cheyenne were very adept on horseback, and the warriors on horseback were fearsome to behold. Warriors of the tribe were venerated and were held with great honor for their skills and bravery.
With the rapid expansion of the white culture, conflict was violent and consistent with the Cheyenne tribe. Settlers and colonizers would cross into Cheyenne territory as they headed west to California and Oregon, and violence was inevitable. Over time, the U.S. Army would get involved to punish the Cheyenne and other Native American tribes for the treatment of white settlers trespassing on their land.
Read: What Really Happened at the Battle of Little Bighorn
The Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes are often discussed hand-in-hand. While they have distinct identities and organizational structures, they have a common heritage and ancestral language. In 1811, the two tribes formed a formal alliance because of their commonalities and close geographic proximity.
The alliance made both tribes stronger, allowing them to expand their territory into parts of Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Kansas. It also strengthened their military prowess, as the two tribes fought together against the Comanche and Apache tribes.
The alliance remains strong today, as the two are federally recognized as one nation known as the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. However, while the tribes function together, they still maintain their own culture, traditions, customs, dances, ceremonies, and languages.
Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized Nations: the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho located in Oklahoma and the Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho in Montana. According to the latest survey, there are just over 10,000 Cheyenne today, with about half of them residing on the reservations.
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